About Me

My name is Christine, and I am a Foodie–that is, I love to cook and learn about other food traditions, as well as to celebrate the time honored cooking of the South. As any self respecting addict would do, I blame my childhood for that.

Specifically, the school year afternoons and long summer days spent in my Granny’s kitchen. Ninetyeight percent of my memories with my Granny took place there. For that reason, there are smells, like that of baking fruitcake or chicken and dumplings, and sounds, like the clammer of aluminum pans or hand mixers, that take me back there, to the place where I became me. It wasn’t that the Cream of Wheat was cooked just right in the mornings, although it was. And it wasn’t that chicken cooked on her stove was tastier than any other. It was the sound of Granny humming while she cooked, and actually feeling and tasting the love that went into everything that came out of that kitchen. Soup when someone was sick, platters of fudge and fruitcake at Christmas time, after school snacks more special than the dinner served in many households today. Not expensive, but special.

And the smells, the constant barage of smells. I respond to certain smells today like a junkie would to the site of a crackpipe. As I got older, and especially when I started my own family, I felt the need to recreate the same feelings I had growing up. A happy home, a busy kitchen full of hungry kids–having them know inherently that everything I make them, I do with love. I learned from my Granny that when you cook with that sort of passion, you can taste it in the food.

Being a wife and mother has allowed me to teach the same lessons, as well as learn some new ones. Growing up with only sisters, I had little experience with boys, and I learn something new everyday mothering two of them.

I hope you enjoy my recipes as much as I did creating them, and my stories as much as I did living them….

I am Christine’s husband. My name is Lucky…I mean Greg. I have a hard time keeping the pounds off my belly and I’m sure I don’t have to explain why. She can make anything that I don’t deem as tasty, tasty. She dreams up stuff that your average Jane would not ever! I love you babe! Keep up the great work!

I once worked with Christine and her cooking and baking was to die for…..I always looked forward to SPICY PICKLES…..those were the absolute best……..and I would agree with Greg…….it was tough for me to keep the pounds off, I wanted to at least taste everything she brought to work!!!!

what a wonderful site. i agree wiht kalamitykelli, your food looks delicious. maybe i will leann some things obut food that i have forgotten. thanks for following ,y blog. it led me to yours. what a knowledgeable and yummy site.

Hey texana! I don’t know how you wound up at my blog, and I’m wondering if you’re not sniffin ’round trying find my cookie recipes! Somebody done told you I make some Dy-No-Mite munchin stuff, didn’t they? Also brew up some mighty fine homeade jams, too, but the recipe for them is in the pectin box. Anyhow, glad you stopped by, and hope you enjoy my blog! I enjoyed this post a bunch!
Sample —> http://charleslmashburn.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/nut-house-cookies/

Charles….Dang straight I was after your cookie recipes….And also, I was searching for fellow Texan bloggers, and yours was funny and enagaging, so I stuck around and followed it…But don’t give up your dreams of being a pastry chef.

Hi there! Thanks so much for reading and following purelysubjective. It always kind of amazes me when folks I’ve never met find my blog. But I guess that’s why we’re here: to have fun and share. It means a lot to know that these things I’m creating speak to others as well as heartening me. 🙂 I’m so glad to discover Texana’s Kitchen. I really like your humorous voice and the great background info on food.

Hey Christine, thanks so much for stopping by and following my blog! Just been having a browse at your blog – I love the way to write about food, will definitely be following you back and look forward to trying out some of your recipes!!

Ah, chicken and dumplings…how I miss thee! Texana, I too, remember the Southern smells since I am from Savannah. Biscuits and gravy, succotash and endless amounts of fried chicken and baked mac and cheese – they all take me back.

WOW…you follow a lot of blogs….including mine now. Gotta admire that. My biggest kick was my erroneous assumption on how your blog was pronounced. I was thinkin’ Texan as* kitchen, which I found pretty entertaining in itself.
Always nice to find a girl who understands that I great meal is not that hard to attain. Gonna take a look around….might stay awhile. Thanks

Thanks for following “pleasepasstherecipe”. I’m a granny sharing nostalgic recipes plus a few newbies with my offspring and their offspring, and whoever else might stop by for a look. Blogging, both reading and writing gives me inspiration from far and wide. I look forward to learning more from your southern kitchen. Sandra

Thanks so much for signing on to follow my blog! I’m a Yankee transplant, and have to say that I love living in the South. Great food down here, and of course a wonderful literary tradition. Glad to have discovered your site!

Hi Christine, Thank you for visiting my blog. I just started this month and am still finding my way around. I love food too. I find your site very unique, both in recipes and stories. I have not seen your entire site yet, but what little I have seen so far, I will visit you again with delight.

Thanks for following my blog, Christine, and I LOVE yours, especially your beautiful sentiments about your Granny. I didn’t know either of my grandmothers well, so I look forward to being one and creating the kind of memories you wrote about so eloquently above. Thanks for sharing your Granny’s energy with us!

Christine, I am thrilled that you are following my blog, Kitchen Keepers (Once Upon a Time in Granmary’s Kitchen) – It makes me smile to think that someday my own granddaughters may remember our joy in the kitchen just as you do. I know your granny loved every minute of cooking for you and having you in her kitchen! Looking forward to reading more and trying your recipes!

Thanks for tagging onto my blog. I am always amazed at and thankful for folks who find me. I mostly write (poetry). I started web life on a book site, and moved to a writing community. My two blogs, the one you visited is for my short daily observances. You can visit my longer verse at my blogspot site which you can link through there. I have the two because neither behaves with the other when it comes to leaving feed back or comments. I hope to visit you occasionally. I’m not a foodie and I only ever do use recipes as guide lines. I doctor box mixes. Like adding applesauce in place of part of the water, add extra chips, raisins etc. I can’t actually think of any one recipe I’ve followed exactly…I saw you had an entry about eggs… I make a crust-less quiche. I just line the glass pie dish with bread crumbs, but I use at least 5 eggs, so maybe it is more like an egg pie? I’ve put in onions, asparagus, peas, well some work better than others. But I do separate the eggs and whip up the whites before combining the yolks back and I also like to add dill. I use one of the egg whites to coat the pie plate after I’ve sprayed it with cooking spray adn either lined it with a store bought crust or bread crumbs. Sometimes I use all Swiss cheese sometimes, Cheddar and sometimes mix the two. I guess you could say I play with my food 🙂

I tagged your blog because in addition to cooking, writing is my next love….Oh, yes, I could do a simple recipe blog, but I find the story telling, the educational and food anthropology even more rewarding. I hope you visit often–if not for recipes, for some good old fashioned story telling….

Hi Christine — Thanks for your LIKE. I knew I liked your gravatar, but then I looked at the site. Delicious to say the least. Love that you’re following your passion. Best dishes from my House to Yours. Dan

Good heavens, I could grow fat and happy in your kitchen. I bet you’d give a wonderful commencement speech for the next batch of degreed Food Anthropologists! Perhaps everyone would have to wear bibs in place of gowns though. Especially if you showed slides. 🙂

I totally agree with you Christine and not to hurt our mothers feelings but there just never seemed to be anything like Grannys cookin. she made some of the most unhealthy fried potatoes and biscuits and gravy that were out of this world. She did however provide onions, greens and other veggies to off set the Heart failing cholesterol that we were eating. LOL. Liked your post very much and will be following you.

Hi Christine…..I absolutely love your blog. I know what you mean about wanting to recreate all the beautiful aroma’s of your childhood……me, I try to do the same.
So although we are from two different parts of the world, I guess at the end we are all the same!

Thanks for following my blog.
I will be following yours, in the hope that I fill my home with as much love and giving.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. From reading your About Me page, I can tell you really love your family and you love to cook – I am much the same! Let me know if you try any of my recipes, I’d love any feedback!

Hi there! Thanks for visiting and subscribing to my blog “Eyes to Heart.” … Like you many of my memories of my grandmother involve food, specifically her pickled beets, green tomato relish and pot roast. Granny called me her “beef girl” because I loved to pick at the roast before she served it up. I wish I’d paid more attention when she was sharing her kitchen and garden wisdom with me. Oh well … thanks for sharing your experience and triggering my memory. Be well … Dorothy 🙂

Thanks for visiting Weightlessinwater.wordpress.com! Somehow I began thinking you were a Paleo fan, but I see that you do not skip some of the things I’m rueful about eschewing (goodness!) like bread. Your writing is as spicy as your recipes! I’ll be back!

Thanks for following my blog! I hopped over here to check yours out and laughed my bum off over the Cheese Betrayal! (And truthfully, I’m not opposed to a little cheese loaf when called for, myself;) ) You have a new fan!

Hi! Thank you very much for following my blog. I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am writing. It has been such an amazing outlet for me to express my creativity. I look forward to reading more from you. Rob

Christine,
Thanks for following my little blog about my big load of kids, big recipes, big hubby and well…pretty much all of life. And you KNOW I’m down with some Spotted Dick! I’m from Canada, baby! God save the Queen!

Chirstine… Thanks for following my blog http://www.long-distance-dad.com. I’m glad I discovered your blog… fun writing and great recipes. And I’m happy to found one of the other five people on earth who actually likes fruitcake!

Hey there!
I’ve nominated you for a blogger award! http://abetteryeartoabetterlife.com/2012/06/01/oh-hey-girl-im-certified-versatile/
Here are the rules for receiving the award: (1) thank the blogger who nominated you (2) include the links to their blogs, (3) include the award image in your post, (4) copy the award image to your site, (5) give seven random facts about yourself, (6) nominate 15 other bloggers for the award, (7) when nominating other bloggers include the links to their sites, and (7) let those bloggers know they’ve been nominated.
Your comment is awaiting moderation.

Nice looking site and warm memories indeed. I still love my Cream of Wheat mornings. In fact I still love making my own bread, biscuits from the kitchen and not the can!
Thank you for being a follower of my site!

Thanks Tammy….It will take me a few weeks to do my part on the appreciation award…I am on vacation for a few weeks, and limiting my blog time during this period. I will do it when I return, though. Thanks again!

I enjoy the ways that you write your blog.. you write with a sincere heart and I can imagine your grandmother in the kitchen with you. I remember my grandmother in the kitchen making perogies. Thank you for checking out my blog.

You may have seen this going around, you may have already been nominated…
I find your blog entertaining and interesting and I love your sense of humour. I’ve nominated you for the “Versatile Blogger Award”. If you’re interested in what this means you can visit my blog at http://timelesstalesandtreasures.wordpress.com/ or check out where it all began at http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/. To me it’s a way of appreciating your fellow bloggers 😀
Thanks, cheers, and happy days,
– Kendra

Hello from Kansas! I just read the notice that you are now following my blog ‘myownheart’ want to say thank you so much I hope you visit often .
Now I just read about you and hubby Greg’s remark yes he is lucky! I want you to know I love your recipes and I am going to try a few soon. But you must know just reading them I gained 5 pounds! yummy! ~~LenWilliams Carver

Thank you for following my blog! I have to tell you that I was thinking about not blogging any longer because I didnt know if I would get any followers! I appreciate it! and I look forward to reading your posts!!! 🙂

If you love blogging, keep it up! If you do what you love, and it shows in your work, then followers will come. Make sure to Tweet and link to Facebook, etc….And make sure to get out on WordPress and comment on other blogs, and follow those you like. People will only follow you if they can find you, and that means putting yourself out there a bit. Also, tag the bejeezus out of your posts. Make sure every post is assigned all tags relative to your blog in general, and also for that post specifically. Once I figured the tagging out, it got much easier to find fans…

I am so glad you found, and decided to follow my blog, giving me the opportunity to find and follow your’s, Christine. Your blog is blessing because I do the weekday cooking around here because Pretty, my wife, still works. While my simple kitchen concoctions sufice, a southern touch would really be nice. We have just recently been transplanted to the south, (the Florida Panhandle, on the Florida/Alabama boarder), and my new creed is northern by birth, southern by choice. I will become an avid follower of your blog, and I will let you know how my attempts at your recipes turn out. You are definitely going on my blogroll, as well.

Having grown up in a Eastern European Jewish family here in the north, my grandmother’s cooking was unexciting except on holidays; but her desserts, jams, and preserves were great. She was famous for her cakes. When she got into her 80s, my wife asked her what her secret was. The answer: “I always use Duncan Hines.”

I look forward to learning more about southern cooking. We’ve had a few restaurants with names like “Uncle Willy’s”, “Peaches”, “Louisiana Lenny’s”, and the like; but they tend to go out of business when Willy or Peaches retire. Louisiana Lenny unfortunately died young. He could never find greens worth serving up here, so his mother used to air freight them up from (natch) Louisiana.

Yes, yes, yes. The smells. I love chopping up fresh herbs with a big knife. And then, in a different vein, there is the whole house smelling like apples in the fall…
(Thanks for dropping by my blog 🙂 )

Greetings from South Africa. Thank you for visiting my blog Christine. As a lady of impeccable taste and depth of perception, I’m sure you conducted a diligent search for the blog – instead of finding it by mistake [chuckle]. but seriously, thank you for your inspiration on American culinary delights. I’m looking forward to immersing myself in the rest of your blog as time goes on.

My initial intention with my blog was to document our various expeditions/safaris into southern Africa, and its associated wildlife/landscape images – with only a smattering of food articles. However, it seems the culinary articles are more popular. Anyway, I hope you enjoy visiting.

Congratulations! I have awarded you the One Lovely Blog Award. You have a wonderful blog!
The Rules for Award participation are:
1. Link back to the blogger who nominated you.
2. Paste the award image on your blog, anywhere.
3. Tell them 7 facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 9 other blogs you like for this award
5. Contact the bloggers that you have chosen to let them know that they have been nominated
Check out my page for more information.http://householdartsandscience.wordpress.com/

Love the blog, Christine! I especially liked your post about PW – I feel the same. I know we would be BFFs if she only knew me. I even met her at a book signing and still she doesn’t email me. She just doesn’t know what she’s missing, right?

Hey! Thanks for following my blog! I read some of your posts and was laughing out loud. I too love to share food while telling stories, but I think your are funnier than mine. Can’t wait to try some of your recipes!

Hi there, Thanks for liking my blog. I wonder, do you have a recipe for green cherry tomatoes (my folk call them tommy toes). I help an 80 year old farmer and we have a load of them this year. I wonder if they could be pickled green. Your thoughts? http://www.reneawinchester.comhttp://blogthefarm.wordpress.com

I have seen recipes for pie made of them…they are treated like sour cherries would be…never tried it though, myself…I would think they would make a nice salsa, mixed with some garlic, green chilies, onions, lime and cilantro…

when you talk about smells – the one that elicits the most pleasure in me is turkey stuffing – I remember waking up on Christmas morning to the smell of bacon frying with the onions and celery my mom used in the best stuffing in the world
this is my first visit – I will be back for many more – I like the “feel” of your blog

Thanks for following. I love cooking too! Not just because of the wonderful memories it invokes, but because of the joy it can bring others when done well. Someday, I must write about the creations my grandma made using her wood stove.

Hi Christine, I’m pleased to meet you. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and opting to follow it. I love to cook and being a mom and wife for over 40 years has given me lots of time to perfect my art. The kitchen is where it all happens in my home. I’m so glad to see a resurgence of families returning to their kitchens and cooking and eating together.

I too learned how to cook in my grandmother’s kitchen ! I read 3 of your posts at work last night and was laughing out loud. Especially the apples and viagra. How cute. I raised two boys myself. Thank you for the follow, and definitely following you now.

As a born-and-raised Southerner, I love that there are others out there looking into fun and interesting ways to enjoy all of the good stuff we can whip up! Thanks for dropping by and following my page. The support will no doubt help me to grow and learn with my new blog.

Also, I am going to be setting up a Nutrition section on my site. Would you mind if I linked to some of your pieces from time to time if they fit with what I’m trying to convey? I’d give you full credit, of course.

Hi Christine. Thanks for following my blog. We must be on the same wavelength as I’ve been getting into the cooking mode more lately, and after reading some of your posts I will have to come back and visit more. I especially like your “pithy” comments, and your sense of humor. Keep it up.
Dwayne

I have to admit – I can’t stand cooking…. or food (but I eat anyway). But I love the way you write and especially that I can hear your accent through the writing! And maybe along the way I might find something that might change my mind about cooking. 😉

First, thank you for stopping by my blog. It’s always a mood booster. I see this is all about food. Right up my alley. I love anything that lays on a plate. Well, practically. But my favorite is pizza. I have that three or four times a week. I would walk on broken glass for pizza and walk across a desert so if anyone has a killer recipe for pizza let me know. I have to go now.
I just got a craving for pizza.

Hey. Thanks for the follow. 🙂 I react to smells the same way – and get some funny looks when I start sniffing the air. What else am I supposed to do when I smell something tasty? Anyway, good luck blogging.

I have spent the last couple days in deep thought, splitting my time between writing and preparing for the first day of summer school tomorrow. I took a break to clear my mind and check out some of my new likers/followers and the first thing that catches my eye is “Beans Beans the Musical Fruit” and it just sent me into a laughing fit. Clever blog and just the distraction I needed right now!

This post took me back to early mornings when my dad, who cooked us a hot breakfast every morning, would quietly slip into the kitchen, turn on the radio, and start making magic. I love creating meals from love too. Thanks for the memories.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and following. I see you have two boys of your own. I’m sure you are always on the go, go, go. I can relate : ) Your blog with the pictures of delicious recipes looks superb! I already see some that I would like to try at home.

Oh my! You just gave me the most nostalgic feeling ever! I remember literally waking up to the smell of my grandmother’s incredible breakfasts. Isn’t it funny how the sense of smell and memory are connected? And you’re right…the smells were simply “fantastic”. I miss my grandmother so much… She taught me how to cook as well. As far back as I can remember I was cooking with her…I had to stand on a chair to reach the counter. Thanks for drumming up that precious memory, sweet lady!

Hi, Texana — Thanks for your interest in my blog. My father did the Southern cooking in our family (he was raised in Arkansas but we lived in California). After he was gone, I never tasted anything like it again — it was so good — until I stopped in South Carolina on my way to D.C. several years ago. Yum.

I too have a Grandmother to blame for my Foodie tenancies:) We went in slightly different directions when I came to content though, she was a master baker and her cakes were HUGE and airy, while I veered more towards spices and combinations of vegetables that would have been unknown to her.

My Grandad was the cause of her limited veggie experiments, he was of the generation that preferred to eat potatoes 360 days of the year, refused to eat pasta, liked rice to be pain boiled white and thought a salad was too exotic if it had a single olive in it LOL .

Your recipes look yummy, but alas, I am not a cook. I never learned and don’t want to. However, I will pass on some of your recipes to my partner who loves to cook, thank goodness, or we would starve! Problem is, he’s a seat-of-the-pants cook and won’t follow recipes. I’ll have to push harder I suppose! 🙂

Thanks for following my blog, Christine. Mm, I too appreciate certain smells in the kitchen (vanilla, for example, and homemade gravey). You’re making me want to run to my grandmother’s house and politely demand food! 😉

Congrats on being a mom who loves her kids–no matter what sex they are…I have a boy and a girl and love them both equally! They are adults now and still bring me so much joy in my life…hard to describe..I am a very lucky woman…even though I lost my husband/soul mate a couple of years ago…my children make me want to continue on…thanks for stopping by!

Thanks for following my blog, you are a frighteningly busy woman, all this cooking, blogging and living – don’t know how you do it, I have enough trouble squeezing a blog in around the ordinary day job. Happy cooking, and eating … Yum

Thank you for stopping by my blog; I may never have found your otherwise! Old fashioned Southern cooking, now that is something I can sink my teeth into…:) New England cuisine is my “thing” , although I think I have followed a cookbook recipe exactly twice!
J

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have such a wonderful granny. (Sniffle, sniffle.) I love Cream of Wheat, btw, and chicken and dumplings, … I don’t cook, so i enjoyed visiting you granny’s kitchen. And thanks for stopping by my writing blog and giving me that opportunity.

As a FATman I have to be a foodie too >>> but maybe I go more for bulk than finesse >>> but not always – as in full English cooked breakfasts – or do you enjoy Duvel beer from Belgium for example? Thanks again! Adrian

First, let me say thank you for following my blog, “Walking Back 2 Me”. It came as a surprise since I just finish it last night! 🙂 I transferred everything over from blogspot and it’s made a difference already! Second, I have to say, love the name (my mom’s name is Christine as well). And your recipes look delish!

Hello Texana! I thank you for liking my post (about Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza). The blog in which I put it was launched mere hours before you did. Sorry if I seem to be exaggerating this but I’m just so happy I just got my first likes. I’m happier looking at your blog though. I love food sites and visit them often. I think I’m gonna LOVE going through your posts. Keep it up! 🙂

Cream of Wheat. Lordy, I love me a good bowl of cream of wheat. When I was pregnant with my daughter I craved it 3 times a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner. Did you know that there are people in the world that don’t know what cream of wheat is!!!!!!!!!! It is mind-boggling 😉

Love your conversational writing style. Very easy to relate. And thank you for stopping by my blog, Nikki

Thank you so much. I saw that you decided to follow me, which I guess means you really liked my work. I am not going to lie: that makes me really happy. It’s a little bit success-feeling, but mostly the people-enjoy-what-I-do-ness. I hope I can continue to make stuff you love to see come up on your dash. If you have feedback (criticism that can be anything from “it sucked” to “the zeitgeist was off”) I would love it. Keep in touch! And thank you again. – Jacob Levin

I grew up with 7 sisters and raised 3 boys. It’s fun seeing the world through their eyes. When they were little, if they balked about eating their veggies, I would tell them the green beans were lizard tails, and the peas were frogs eyes, and they would eat them up just to play along. They all grew up loving to cook as much as I do.

Huh. Peas. On Saturdays, my mum used to make pea soup for lunch – thick, green, Dutch style, with that particular slightly dusty, cardboard smell which split peas give off when cooked. And there would be some bacon in it somewhere, usually (deliberately!) quite fatty. Trouble was, I used to go down to the local playground on Saturday mornings, and spend a lot of time on the swings and the merry-go-round, as well as climbing the occasional tree. By the time I went home, I was a little tired, dizzy, headache-y … after I had been sick once (no-one was ever sick in our house) I was excused the pea soup on Saturdays. My siblings were green with envy.

I have had pea soup – cautiously – as an adult, but it wasn’t the same item. Much thinner, with only the odd split pea floating in it to warn me of its origins. They say peas – a cheap and plentiful source of protein – are the foundation of western European civilisation. Didn’t seem very civilised to me.

Oh, that pea soup smell…..blech. when I was a kid, I hated it. Stenchy. But luckily I was never made to eat it. Nowadays, I love it. The smell of the smoked ham hock simmering away with the peas and some carrot. Yum. But I always loved to eat plain old green peas….the nuns at my school used to tell us that peas would make our hair curly.

The nuns used to pick up and shake our milk cartons as we were headed to the trash to dump our trays–to make sure we weren’t trying to throw away any food. My friend Yvonne was so opposed to eating peas, she once crammed a bunch of them up her nose to avoid eating them. Epic Fail! She had to go to the ER to get them extracted, and wound up catching pneumonia….

hey Christine nice blog, I just had a quick squiz and will be back again to plunder ideas and recipes. Thanks for dropping by Food Ninja and you are welcome back anytime. I hope to get organised with recipes soon so feel free to help yourself

Thank you for visiting my blog site! I very much look forward to familiarizing myself with your work. (I wonder, if I would be considered a “fellow Texan” – I lived in Austin, Texas for 8 years and loved every one of them.)

Thanks for checking out my blog! I’m glad you liked it. I love your about page…I feel as if I’m in your Granny’s kitchen. Reading it brought back my own memories of growing up and times with my grown children. Thank you.

Thank you so very much for stopping by, if you need any leather apparel, you know where to come!! Thanks for all the great memories of grandma’s kitchen smells, she taught me alot about cooking. all of that is now just great memories, it makes you long for days gone by, those were the best, I think there is some of that in all of us! http://www.popsleathers.com.

Spreading The Sunshine: Hello! I just wanted you to know that you inspire me in so many ways and because I think that your blog is so Fan-tabulous I have nominated you for the “Inspiring Blog Award” … Share the love by visiting http://t.co/2eRwqwDj to view the details. Much Love & Many Blessings 🙂

Hi, Christine. I hopped over to thank you for following my blog, but, of course, I had to stop to read a while. I love what you say about your Granny and all the memories — especilly the smells. I am 64 years old, but still to this day, every time I smell green peppers cooking, I am instantly transported to my Grandpa’s little kitchen where that smell was part of virtually every recipe when I was in grade school. It never fails to make me happy. There are so many other delicious smells and memories as well, but that one always comes to mind first.

Hi Christine. My love for bread started right in my grandma’s silver-bullet trailer, fresh from her oven. Then there’s warm rice topped with vanilla ice cream, which made it into one of my novels. Or just sitting in her spacious garden, eating strawberries right from the runners. Such yummy and precious memories stir my love for cooking, so wonderful to read yours!

Thank you, Christine, for following my blog. You a funny lady! I will enjoy meandering through your posts. My nana, too, was the one who influenced my love of food and cooking.
Oven-browned potatoes shiny with pan drippings, Swedish pancakes and lingonberries, ice cold whole milk in a glass bottle…mmm-mmm!

Thanks for following my blog. I’m sorry that it has taken me so long to check out your blog. You have some really interesting recipes here! I’m looking forward to following your blog as well. Thanks again!

Thanks for visiting my blog and following along, I checked yours out and when I realized it was about food I got so excited! I am a horrible cook, I’m loooking forward to following along and trying out some of your recipes.

Thank you so much for following my blog! I too have wonderful memories of food with my grandmother – silly things like tinned peach halves with cream, soft white rolls with butter and golden syrup, chocolate chip cookies still hot from the oven… happy days! I love your sense of humour and look forward to reading more of your blog.

Hi Christine! Just wanted to say thanks for checking out my blog 🙂 I love food (and wine) and do a lot of baking, and my husband is an amazing cook. Like you, we both enjoy sharing these things with our children – and at age four, our twins are quite familiar with being in the kitchen. I look forward to reading your posts.

Hi! I just nominated you for “The Beautiful Blogger Award”. I think it’s well deserved! The rules are easy. Thank the person who nominated you.( http://jlroeder.wordpress.com ), tell us 7 things about yourself and nominate 7 other beautiful bloggers! Enjoy 🙂

Wow, what a site you have here. I can’t believe you found my site. I do love to eat, so I have a lot to enjoy here. Thanks again for visiting me and I’ll look forward to reading more of YOUR interesting titles. A good title is half the fun of writing an article.

Christine: Thank you for visiting and following mylifeasasquirrel. I visited your blog and I wholeheartedly agree that home cooking is an act of love. I enjoyed reading about your boys and their vocabulary. Your recipes look very tempting even for someone who does not eat red meat and has to follow a gluten free diet… oh, well!

Christine, thanks for following my blog. I am enjoying poking around yours. I am afraid I am not foodie, other than I like to eat, and I’m definitely not much of a cook. But I like to live vicariously through the Food Network and it looks like I can do the same here. 🙂 I don’t mind baking…might have to try that Key Lime Pie. Great stories, too, by the way.

Phew! My finger is tired from scrolling down all these wonderful comments… You are a rock star and I just found you! Loved reading the home page titles, gave me the giggles and as I like to say “I have sore cheeks from laughing”. Thanks for stopping by my blog and you have another follower. Love food, whimsy and you are a fantastic story teller… cha ching! A bonus for me. 🙂

Sorry it’s taken me a few months to say it, but thanks for being a loyal follower of my blog! Your support means so much : ) P.S. Thanks for the recipes- definitely trying out the beer, bacon & jalapeno brittle this winter…

Howdy just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know
a few of the images aren’t loading correctly. I’m not
sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different web browsers and both show the same results.

It’s been a little over a year that my wife has been cooking and writing this blog. She’s still going strong and she is more talented then anyone I know! I love you babe, you’re my rock! Keep up the great work!

hi Christine….. first let me thank you for following my blog… it is such an inspiration when the number of followers grow day by day…and secondly., I would love to say, you just have an amazing blog here and it is so interesting…..Gosh….just a glance and I fell for it….you have one more follower to your list !!!! ……

I think my favorite was from last Christmas, which will be repeated next week on Take Two Tuesday—it was titled “Santa and The Elves Are Cookie Thievin’ Sugar Junkies”……It was about my husband and kids.

Also, “About A Boy, A Tape Measure, And A Foot Long Weenie”, but mostly because it was the funniest story that my youngest child ever gave us….

Hi! Apologises for taking so long to thank you for supporting and following my blog. I am thoroughly new to it and still finding my way. I’d like to return the call, but one look at cheese, and creamy things. Big sigh, but my heart’s not going to last the next 30 years on that. Back to the veg, and fruit, whole grains.

hello! I author The San Marcos Food blog I really enjoy your posts and your the only blog I actually follow hehe.. If you ever wanted to do a guest spot on my blog I would really enjoy that.. I don’t know if you are close to san marcos or not but if you ever wanted to review something or just do a guest blog spot, like I said I would love that.. would not really ask most people to do that but you have won me over with your blog hehe..

Hey! I’d love to do a guest post sometime..I live about an hour and 15 minutes from San Marcos…in fact, I use to write for the newspaper there, until Jeff Walker took a job with another paper. I loved writing for it, because my sometimes tawdry style works great with the college audience…not so much with church ladies. Anytime you have need, let me know!

Wonderful! That is quite awesome that you used to write around here! and my demographics are actually perfect for you since its largely based around the 18-24 age group.. I am out of the country at the moment and will be back on Jan. 1st.. I will be sure to get into contact with you then and we can hammer out the specifics and all that.. This should be some fun 🙂

Hi Christine! I wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. It was my way of acknowledging you and to let you know how you inspire me. 1. Display the award image on your blog. 2. Link back to the person who nominated you. 3. State 7 things about yourself. 4. Nominate 15 other bloggers and link to their sites. 5. Notify the bloggers that they have been nominated and link to the post. Thank you for all your wonderful posts and congratulations!

Thank you for stopping by my blog and following it. I too have fond memories of my Granny making special snacks for us kiddos growing up. She used to make “berries and cream” – home made short bread of some sort drizzled with cream, sugar,and fresh picked berries from her garden! My mom used to make home made cookies for me after school and would spell my name in icing on top of them. So special and so good! I look forward to reading your posts and recipes!

I mentioned your delectable website in my recent post. You’ve gotten a few Liebster ‘awards’ before, but as I frequent your site for recipes, I wanted to let you know of my lurking. Keep up the wonderful work.

Hi !
I ♥ your blog and I have nominated you with SISTERHOOD OF THE WORLD BLOGGERS AWARD!http://vinca11.wordpress.com/awardsappreciation/
It’s ok whether you choose to join in or not; just wanna thank you for the great blog that you put up. I’m totally enjoying reading your posts daily ♥

Hi Christine. I love your blog. I read your post Salmon Enchanted Evening and it sounds as though your grandma was such a dear! I grew up on southern cooking…my mom cooked wonderful southern dinners. (we lived in Arkansas) I look forward to reading your blog on a regular basis! And thank you for following mine!

I am a bit speechless as I look at your pictures. If you read my post “The Kitchen” (February 2013) you will see how I can barely pull off a piece of toast. I have always been impressed by people who can not only cook – but who can cook well.

Christine I seriously almost fell out of my chair reading your husbands information about his methane gas experimentation. You are damn funny and I am sure your talent is on it’s way to far bigger investigations and creative expressions beyond our everday methane.

Thanks for following my travel, language and architecture blog, Christine! If you have any suggestions for topics, please let me know.

Also, jalapeño cheese bread doesn’t appear enough in the Northeast. I will sheepishly admit that Au Bon Pain (a sandwich and baked goods chain) was the last place I tried bread with jalapeños in it. And I’m in NYC for the time being so that’s pathetic!

Hello Christine! Thanks for the follow on Sugarfree Sweetheart! Being new at blogging, it really helps when an experienced blogger shows interest! 🙂 I’ve been reading through yours and wow you have a knack for funny! Looking forward to your posts!
Cheers, Priya

Hi Christine,
Thanks for following my blog. I love your post “About Me” for I, too, had a Nanny whose kitchen was the heart of the home & everything thing she made had Love as the main ingredient. How wonderful you are carrying on such an important tradition of nourishing your loved ones on so many levels!

WordPress says you and I are similar….at least our blogs are. Holy cow, were they right…a good southern girl, with a love for incredible sensory memories from the kitchen, including chicken n dumplins (my absolute all-time fav) and a woman that appreciates good wine!!! I feel like I’ve found the sister I never had!!! 😉 That’s where we part…I had two brothers, you had sisters. Check out my blog and let me know what you think….takecarecher. I would value your opinion because I love yours and I’m very much a newbie, but I love to write and it’s cathartic for me. I’m trying to not talk and think food constantly right now because I joined Weight Watchers, but I can’t help myself. I hope to hear back from you.

HI. I know this is going to come at you out of the blue, but I have nominated you for the ‘Very Inspiring Bloggers Award’. Why? Because you were my first follower, and thus you inspired me to continue to blog. Besides, you have some very inspiring recipes here!
To accept the award, just visit http://crimsonprose.wordpress.com/2013/12/22/when-the-unexpected/. Terms of Acceptance are at the bottom of post; the award jpg can be lifted from my about page. Well done, and thank you for that first ‘follow’.

Ms. Friesenhahn—
I arrived at your blog a couple of weeks back and am pleased as punch to have done so. Your recipes are clear and thorough, and your writing style and curiosity about the history/sources of your topics are wonderfully reminiscent of Molly O’Neill’s when she wrote the food column for the Sunday New York Times. (This is meant, you understand, as the highest compliment.)
December 24-25, I had a go at your Texas Red, maque choux and guacamole and, ma’am, a tableful of New York Jews with a taste for Southern cooking could not have been more rapturously satisfied.
Looking forward to an ongoing engagement with your blog and two-stepping with your recipes. Thank you for sharing your interest in, knowledge of and passion for the delectatious.

Ms. Friesenhahn—
I arrived at your blog a couple of weeks back, and am pleased as punch to have done so. Your recipes are clear and thorough, and your writing style and curiosity about the history/sources of your topics are wonderfully reminiscent of Molly O’Neill’s when she wrote the food column for the New York Times Sunday Magazine. (This is meant, you understand, as the highest compliment.
December 24-25, I had a go at your Texas Red, Maque Choux and Guacamole and, ma’am, a table full of New York Jews with a taste for Southern cooking could not have been more rapturously satisfied.
Looking forward to a continued engagement with the blog and ongoing two-stepping with your recipes.
Thank you for sharing your interest in, knowledge of and passion for all things delectatious.

I’d like to invite you to participate in a new challenge that I am hosting at thewanderinggourmand.com to bring together the beer, wine, and food blogging worlds. As you may know, each month I host a Beer Versus Wine Pairing Challenge inviting readers to suggestion their perfect pairing with a monthly dish. I decided to make the challenge even more engaging by turning the challenge into a contest with bragging rights. Each month a dish will be presented. Bloggers have a week to post their perfect pairing and why in the comments section. The following week, I will summarize the comments in a post for a vote. The winner not only earns bragging rights but also the honor of coming up with the following month’s dish.